duckling theory
by the milliner's rook
Summary: The first thing Karin notices is watermelon. Looking back, maybe it should have been startling green eyes.


_Toushirou&Karin, _prompt: Karin runs away to Soul Society for no reason and she 'mysteriously' meets Toushirou.

* * *

The first thing Karin notices is watermelon. Looking back, maybe it should have been startling green eyes.

But.

Karin is hungry, and that takes importance over most things. She's hungry all the time, if she's feeling particularly honest and wants to make cupcakes with Yuzu, but she supposes its part of being a teenager.

(The other thing Karin is fairly certain she's gained since reaching The Terrible Teens is the right to frown at everything, which she knows she learnt too early. And far too easily, since the old man is a stupid _idiot._)

Karin gets especially hungry when she's in a bad temper.

And besides, the sweet scent of watermelon is calling her.

Green eyes don't stand a chance.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my office?"

_That_ gets Karin's attention. Blinking, she looks around, ignoring the question directed at her, Karin wonders how on earth she got here. Then she looks at the ticket in her hand.

"Huh." She grins. _Cool_. "Guess it worked after all." Though she didn't know how… she'd have to notice these things the next time they happened and she ended up in… this place. Wherever it was. No, hang on, she remembered. Just about. _Soul Society!_ That's what the person said.

How careless was she to not realize that she'd got here? She sighs. That was pretty dumb. Embarrassment spreads on her face, warm flickers creeping down her neck, while she mulls over how she managed to get herself in this situation and realizing that she has no answer save to for a golden ticket. Next time would be different.

"Hey! _I'm talking to you!"_ Green Eyes stares at her, with a crazed expression that Karin is pretty sure she's seen often on Ichigo's face whenever he's bickering with Rukia.

"Oh yeah." She offers her best smile. Cheeky and apologetic. Works well in times of being in awkward situations like so. "Hi. Who are you?"

By now Green Eyes is _fuming._

Karin carefully does not mention that maybe all she really wants is to steal a piece of the watermelon and then she would bother someone else. If that was okay with him. Somehow, Karin doubts it.

"I asked you _first._" He snarls. Impressively, the colour on his face is turning to cranberry. No, like grapes. Oh great. Now she can think only in fruit.

She really hopes that her stomach doesn't betray her.

"Yes, you did." Karin nods, talking slowly and measuredly. If she can think faster than she can talk, then maybe she is going to stay alive. In the land of the dead. That's hilarious. And off topic. She tries very hard not to snort. Judging by the increase of tomato shade on his face, she did not succeed. "Kurosaki Karin. I have no idea."

"You have no idea? So you aren't Kurosaki Karin?" He drawls deliberately layering his voice in boredom, like she's the biggest idiot he's ever seen.

"No." Karin replies instantly. "I _am_ Kurosaki Karin. I have no idea what I'm doing in your office." She looks down, muttering to her shoes, her face the temperature of freshly made tea. "You asked two questions."

It's not her fault he misunderstood.

"I see."

"I answered yours. Answer mine." She states, looking up at Green Eyes.

He stands from his desk, unexpectedly short. "Hitsugaya Toushirou, Captain of—"

"But you're an elementary student." Karin says stupidly, her mouth working without listening to her brain. "How can you—"

"_I attended high school!"_ He shouts. Then clears his throat, looking away, mumbling. "That has nothing to do with this."

"High school, huh?" Karin tilts her head to the side, trying to picture it and failing. He's shorter than her. "So, you went to high school, and graduated a captain? How does that work?"

Apparently, his fuming from before was a worth a much more mild description. That, or Karin is just really bad at making first impressions and is really good at getting under his skin.

"Dying helps." He snaps, and Karin thinks it's maybe he just has a very grumpy personality because there are a ton of inappropriate responses to that. "No, that's—it was an undercover mission."

"Oh." Well, Karin's seen enough movies to know that if she asked for the details, she might get killed. And reappear in this place. Whatever dimension it is. "So I guess you can't talk about it."

"That's right."

"And people honestly believed you were a high school student?" Karin lifts her eyebrow. She can't help it. These are important questions. Questions that need to be asked.

"Shut up." Green Eyes growls.

Karin shuts up.

"_As I was saying_," Hitsugaya says, "I am Captain of the Tenth Division."

There's a pause.

Should she clap? Say something like impressive? Try and find the dignity that she's pretty sure she destroyed within seconds of meeting him?

Her stomach rumbles instead. It sounds thunderous in the drawn out silence.

Karin doesn't mean to gaze longingly at the pink watermelon slices on his desk, but she does.

In her defence, she is _very_ hungry.

"No." The Tenth Captain says crossly. "Mine."

"Just one bite and I'll leave."

"Do you even know how?" Sceptically, he asks, and okay, Karin doesn't actually have an answer to that.

"Probably with this ticket." She waves it about uselessly watching if it would do anything. Combust or explode or turn to dust. Nothing happens. "I really wasn't looking when I ended up here."

"Great." He runs his hand through his soft looking hair. "You just had to be a Kurosaki."

Karin smirks. "Comes with being awesome."

It's a knee-jerk response. It honestly is.

Their family has such a big reputation that Karin automatically becomes proud and protective of her family whenever people insinuate otherwise.

"_Get out."_ It's spoken in a low, dark tone that states that he is so, so _done_ with this. With all of this. It's just not his day. Even with a tasty looking watermelon sitting on his desk, waiting to be eaten.

It's not like this is a picnic for her either.

Food analogies are only making her hungrier.

Karin sighs, mourning the lack of metaphorical food, and listens to the baleful plea of her belly.

"Fine. I give up." The captain rolls his eyes, and sits back down, his hand covering his eyes. Karin's pretty certain that he just face palmed in slow motion. "Take a seat. You can have _one_ slice. Then we figure out how you leave."

It is a much kinder way of saying that he wants to get rid of her as quickly as possible.

"Thanks." It doesn't stop her from grinning until her face hurts. "I appreciate it."

Toushirou's not such a bad guy, after all.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

"Hi Toushirou."

The more Karin thinks about it, the more she thinks that what just happened is that it's not that she's good at getting under his skin from a pretty bad first meeting. It's more like this: Toushirou is a big red button that says loud and clear not to touch, but she does it anyway because the opportunity is too good to miss.

"No, really. What are you doing here?" Toushirou dourly states, none-too-pleased to see her again, and so soon.

It's only been a day.

"Huh." Karin looks at her ticket. It seems like it's fixed to always go to his office. That's awesome. Considering that if she got lost she'd probably be in even bigger trouble, so it's nice to see the only person she recognises here so quickly. Funny how things work out in her favour. "I wanted to see you again."

"I'm flattered."

"That's weird. You don't sound flattered at all."

It's worth it just to make him exasperated.

He makes it too easy.

Him and his pretty glowering face.

"That's because I'm not, Karin." He closes his eyes like he's desperate to rein in his temper, except he's not even trying anymore. When he opens his eyes, she's still there.

He looks disappointed.

"But I brought you watermelon." She says brightly, and lifts her other hand, and there, inside a shopping bag, is a watermelon. It's clear to see. "It was the least I could do."

"Ah." For a fraction of a second, he looks inordinately pleased. That is, before he returns to his 'stoic' expression, which he isn't good at fooling people at all, if the fuse for his temper is as short as his height. "Thanks."

"You wouldn't have a knife, would you?" Karin asks. "Plates, too."

He blinks. Then pales. "No."

"That's a shame." She sighs, then blinks as an idea forms. "Well, what about your—"

"It's not used for _food!_" Toushirou interrupts hastily, before she even gets to suggest it. "That's unhygienic."

"It is. Isn't it." Karin mumbles, somewhat sad because she'd be so certain that he'd clean it every day just so it was sanitary in case something like this happened, and they wouldn't die of infected diseases of whatever he used it for instead. "Well, I guess, I can come back another time with the watermelon."

Toushirou frowns and says nothing for a long time.

She turns to leave.

"Wait." Karin does, turning back, her curiosity laid bare all over her face. His arms have folded over his chest, like he's made a life-or-death decision, and he's stubbornly weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Finally he huffs, chest sticking out. "Stay here. I'll be back in a moment."

Karin makes herself comfortable on the sofa, propping one leg over the other and leans back. She puts the watermelon on the table. Though she fidgets once in a while, she's good at keeping still.

What she's _not_ prepared for is for Toushirou to suddenly appear beside her.

Karin jumps.

A few inches in the air.

Toushirou is smirking when she lands, and she unscrambles herself from shock. He looks a little flushed, like he's been running, but he can't have been because wouldn't Karin have heard him before he _ninjaed_ his way into sitting on the sofa without Karin noticing?

"_Kami_," Karin hisses, mortified heat rushing on her cheeks. "When did you – you're like a ghost!"

"_Shinigami._" Toushirou corrects, and her face is burning. He is still smirking, that smug obnoxious green eyed brat. "I know a few things."

_I bet you do._ Karin bites her tongue. _You wouldn't be captain if you didn't._

"Right." She drawls, and sees the plates and knives in his hand. "Anyway. Watermelon."

"Right." Toushirou nods.

"So, how do you learn to sneak up like that?" Karin asks, as she cuts the watermelon in half.

"The Academy." He says, matter-of-fact. "If you go."

Even the dead couldn't escape education. Seemed like no one could get a break. Then again, maybe it wasn't so bad, if he could catch her unawares like that.

She'd be ready, next time.

* * *

He's not ready, the next time.

In fact, from the looks of things, it's like he didn't expect to see her ever again.

He doesn't jump, but Karin likes to pretend that it's one of the secret powers that made it happen in the blink of an eye, and she just coincidentally blinked at that point in time.

He just looks up, like he's been caught stealing something he shouldn't, and then a storm unfolds in his face, like she's the worst thing he's ever seen since last week.

Karin would be hurt, except it's the third day of their beautiful friendship, and these things take time. That and, she is having way too much fun winding him up, so all his angry expressions make her laugh.

"Hey." Karin grins at him like a jerk, and sees that his desk is overflowing with candy. Wow. She ended up in a candy factory with the help of golden ticket this time. What will happen next? "You really don't look like you're a sweet tooth kind of guy."

"I'm not." He sighs resignedly, wrinkling his nose like he prefers that there was something else on his desk instead. "I get given this anyways."

"Any reason why?" Karin asks, approaching him.

"Oh, I'm sure there is." Toushirou grumbles bitterly, his green eyes darkening like he's recalling something distasteful. "But now I have to throw them away."

"Or, you could give them to someone." Karin suggests. "Someone like me, perhaps."

He looks at her, green eyes thoughtful. "You would do that?"

"Yeah. I'm not going to say no to candy." Karin shrugs, and walks over to the desk, looking at the selection. Whoever it is, that person has some good taste in sweets. "What do you say?"

His frown deepens, as Toushirou mulls it over. "Alright."

"Yeah?" Karin smiles so hard it nearly hurts.

"Yes, fine." He says irritably, too quickly looking down at the sweets littered on his desk. His cheeks have turned pinkish. It's cute how much it suits him. "Just get them out of my sight."

"Right away, Captain." She teases, and tries to fit as many sweets as she can in her pockets.

* * *

Of course, he's not always there.

Even Captains have other places to be.

"Hey, Toushirou—" Karin says, tipping her head to the side once she notices that there are no pair of green eyes gazing wildly underneath the softest white hair she's ever seen. There is, however, another. "Who are you?"

The lady sprawled all over the sofa lolls her hand, and doesn't really make an attempt to move. She has very long legs. "Who am I? Who are you?"

"Karin. Kurosaki Karin." Karin states. Maybe she's his underling or something. Wait. Should that be overling? She has to be taller than Toushirou. It must do wonders to his temper. "And you are?"

"Matsumoto Rangiku." The lady states with a yawn, slowly rising to her feet, sweeping her tangerine coloured hair out of her eyes. "I should have known. The Captain's been talking about you."

Karin can't help but grin.

"Really?" She edges closer, intrigued, "Like what?"

"That you're the love of his life." Matsumoto says, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and lowers her voice into a conspiring whisper. "He's madly in love with you. He's always thinking about you. It would make him the happiest person if you stayed here all the time. And he's promised that I get the champagne at your wedding."

Karin snorts. As if. "I like you."

"He likes you _more._" The _shinigami_ insists, and it's impossible not to burst into laughter then and there.

"Toushirou's complaining about me that much?" Karin says wryly, pleased that their friendship has progressed so well. "Aw."

"It's adorable." Rangiku makes room on the sofa, and Karin sits happily beside her. "So, what brings you here?"

"Well…" Karin begins.

"_No._ Help me. Someone. Anyone." A very familiar voice speaks behind them, and there stands Toushirou, steadily losing colour on his face like his worst nightmare has come true. Doomsday has arrived. Paperwork is flying in the air. "This can't be."

Karin and Rangiku turn to face him, the perfect candidates of angels and innocence.

"What?"

Toushirou closes his eyes. Takes a deep breath that makes his chest puff out. Exhales.

"Nothing." He shakes his head. "Karin, what are you doing here?"

Always direct and to the point.

Karin supposes that even the best friendships sometimes cut corners and forget about greetings.

That's okay, she can be direct too.

"I wanted to see you." She shrugs. "So I did. Here I am."

"You're abusing the ticket." He mutters, slowly ambling to his desk. "Give me strength."

"It's my golden ticket." Karin retorts, flushing. "I can use it however I like."

"… it's not even golden." Toushirou mumbles lamely, like he has no proper response to that.

"Captain, colour-blind or not, Karin's here for _you."_ Rangiku points out, nudging Karin gently. "You should hear her out."

Subtle.

Rangiku coughs.

Very subtle.

"… I was wondering if you'd like to play soccer." Karin offers, trying to be casual, but failing because of a certain awareness of heat sizzling on her face. "After we help pick up the paperwork."

"After _we_ get the paperwork done, you mean." Toushirou corrects her absentmindedly, and then lets his gaze linger on Rangiku, before resuming his task of collecting work.

"Captain!" His taller-ling pouts, pulling the same expression that Yuzu does whenever she wants something to go especially her way. "Paperwork's not fun."

"Yes it is." He grumbles. "Peace and quiet, that's fun."

"_Soccer_ is fun!" Karin argues, scrambling off the sofa. "C'mon, just for a little while."

"Karin."

"Toushirou."

"… you're not going to leave, are you?" He sighs.

"Nope." Karin grins, and hands him a sheet. "You're always working when I see you. I figure you could use a break."

"Fine." Toushirou gives in, shoulders slumping. "But we're leaving this office _tidy_, and Matsumoto—"

"We'll negotiate later!" She chirps.

"—YOU WILL COMPLETE THIS PAPERWORK." His teeth mash together, as Karin pushes him to her world.

"Yes Captain!"

Karin turns back to wave goodbye, and smothers a grin when she sees Matsumoto smiles blindingly and mouths _"he loves you."_

* * *

"I hate you."

His face is buried in his hands.

"She didn't do the paperwork?" Karin guesses correctly, her voice laden with sympathy, as she approaches.

"Didn't even _try._" He sniffs, and Karin resists the urge to pat his head, ruffle his hair, ask him who cut it, it's so shiny. "Vanished by the time I came back."

"Ah." Yeah, she didn't see that one coming.

Clearly Toushirou had.

"I can get you ice cream, if you like?"

Ice cream makes most things better. If he doesn't like sweets, maybe he'll like ice cream. Maybe if she looks the next time she goes shopping, she'll find watermelon flavour. She'll have to ask what his favourite flavour is.

"Wouldn't help." He grumbles, scribbling away.

"It might." Karin shrugs, but doesn't push it.

He stops writing, and looks at her.

"… don't your family get worried?"

"Not if I tell them first." Karin answers easily. "That way they don't mind when I drop by to visit."

And she never stays too long. There's always dinner to consider. And, well, she guesses that the working hours of a _shinigami _have to end at some point. They just are a little later than school. Probably.

"Ah."

And it's nice here. Relaxing. All she needs is tea while she waits, and she could probably make herself right at home. Hell, it's like she already has.

"Rangiku's pretty cool."

"Lazy, you mean." He grumbles, then adds. "She's started calling you my duckling."

"What?" She's not sure how to take that.

He huffs. "It's because of ducks."

"You don't say." Karin lifts an eyebrow, lips tilting upwards.

"I mean." He puts his pen down, and avoids her gaze. His face is slowly but surely getting redder. "Ducks when they hatch. They imprint on the first thing they see."

"Right…" Now she's just being deliberately obtuse. She has an idea where this is going now.

"And, well, I was the first thing you saw. Here. I think." Toushirou tries again, awkwardly fidgeting about as his cheeks darken. "Usually, ducklings see their mother, and then, they follow them."

"So, I'm following you?" Karin teases, echoing him now because she can't resist.

"I don't know!" The outburst surprises him, and he sinks into his chair. "Maybe." He says quietly. "You come every day."

"So I'm a duckling." She concludes.

"You're a duckling." He repeats, dazed. He looks uncomfortable with the thought. His ears are very pink. His cheeks are a burning red that makes Karin imagine steam forming easily off his skin. "Or so Rangiku says."

Karin tries really hard not to laugh. She mostly succeeds.

"Ice cream sounds good." Toushirou mumbles eventually, still avoiding her gaze. She wonders how green his eyes are in that moment.

"Yeah?" Karin brightens, stretching her hand and waits for him to take it. "Great! I know just the place. Follow me."


End file.
